Bundling machine



July 23, 1929. H. EVANS ET AL BUNDLING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 2 July 23, 1929. H. L. EVANS ET Al. 1,721,811

BUNDLING MACHINE 5 sheets-sheet 4 IJuly 23, 1929. H. 1 EVANS ET ALBUNDLING MACHINE filed NOV. 14 1927 July 23, l929. H. 1 EVANS ET AL1,721,811

BUNDLING MACHINE Filed NOV. 14, 1927 5 Shee'S-Sheet 5 Patented July 23,1929.l

UNITED STATES HARRY I1. EVANS AND GEORGE I. HOHI-J, 0F NEWPORT, RHODEISLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 PATENT oFFlcE.

CARTONING MACHINERY CORPORATION, 0F NEWPORT, vRHODE ISLAND, A. COR-PonA'rIort or NEW JERSEY.

BUN DLING MAGHINE.

Application tiled-November 14, 1927. Serial No. 233,060.

This invention relates to an improved automatic machine for bundlingelongated or rodlike articles such as pencils or any other kind oftricle of stick-like form.

The invention has for its principal obj ect to provide an automaticmachine which is adapted to aggregate a predetermined number ofarticles, and then to insert said arti# cles iny an encircling band orother desired form of holder; and to this end the machine of thisinvention is adapted to manipulate a preformed tubular casing or band,which is initially furnished in a collapsed or flat condition, wherebysaid casing or band is opened or squared and thereafter positioned toreceive the insertion therethrough of the articles to be enclosedthereby; and the machine is also designed to automatically divide from abulk or supply of articles, such as pencils, a predetermined numberthereof and arrange the same in symmetrical relation preparatory toinserting the same into the opened and presented casing or band, andthereupon to complete the inserting operation whereby the desired bundleof articles operated upon is obtained.

The invention has for a further object to provide means whereby thearticles to bebundled may be arranged in a plurality of horizontallayers, and whereby separating partitions may be inserted bet-Ween therespective layers before the articles thus aggregated are inserted inthe casing or band.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel arrangementand organization of mechanism whereby the several steps involved inmanipulating casings or bands, aggregating the'` articles for insertioninto said casings or bands, and if desired inserting partition membersbetween layers ofthe aggregated articles, are coordinated and relativelytimed for operation so that the casings and bands will successively andspeedily pass through the machine and receive their respective quotas ofarticles to be bundled thereby, all in a manner whereby the various`operations are automatically carried on in timed relation and'so as torapidlyproduce and deliver the articles in desired bundled O form.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated. will be clearly understood from the following de-y taileddescription of the same.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inWhich:-

Figure 1 is a plan view of the novel bundling machine made according toand embodying the principles of this invention; Figure 2 is afragmentary longitudinal section taken on line 2 2 in Figure 1 but drawnon an enlarged scale; Figure .3 is a rear side elevation of the machinewith certain parts of the hopper and article feeding mechanism shown insection; Figure 4lis a detail transverse section taken on line 4 4 inFigure 1; Figure 5 is a detail section on line 5-5 in Figure 1 but-drawnon an enlarged scale; Figure 6 is a detail section taken on line 6-6 inFigure 1, being also drawn on an enlarged scale.

Similar characters ofl reference are employed in all of the hereinabovedescribed views, to indi-cate corresponding parts.

The machine of this invention is adapted to manipulate a form of casingor band comprising a rectangular hollow tubular body 1 having openopposite ends, said body being so scored longitudinally', between thesections making up the sides of the same, that it may be initiallycollapsed into a relatively flat condition as shown in Figures 1 and 2.The casing or band in this form is preferably' made of light weightcardboard and is furnished by the manufacturer thereof to the user inthe aforesaid collapsed or flat form. The operation ofraising the casingor band 1 from such initial flat or collapsed condition to a properlyset up or open condition may be referred to as squaring the casing. Themachine,

which is the subject of the present invention,

same are opened .andthereafter -positioned to receive the articlesto beinserted'therein.

The reference character 2 indicates a suitably supported base plateorbed, upon which `is simpel-ted, by standards 3, a deck plate or platform4, which is spaced above said bed in horizontal relation thereto, butwhich is longitudinally offset toward the left end of be passed throughthe machine.

said base plate or bed. Mounted iff/bearings 5 in transverse extensionover the right handI end of the b ase plate or bed 2 is a powertransmission shaft' 6. The shaft 6 Nis started, driven.. and stopped bylmeans of a clutch mechanism 7, with which the same is provided. Saidclutch mechanism 7 is operated through suitable transmission means, suchas drive chain 8, from any suitable source of power, such e. g. as anelectric motor (not shown). Also mounted in bearings 9,for extensionover and adjacent to the rear longitudinal side of said base plate orbed 2, is an auxiliary transmission shaft 10; this shaft 10 being drivenfrom said shaft 6 through intermeshing bevel gears 11.

bami deli/very and., Sgam-ng T he casing orv mechamsm.

Supported upon the right handend of said platform 4 isa magazine orstacker 12 which is adaptedto contain a supply of the initially flat -orcollapsed casings or bands desired to Means are provided forsuccessively ejecting the collapsed casings or bands from said magazineor-stacker 12, and delivering the same to the squaring mechanism; saidmeans comprises a slide block 13, which is mounted for longitudinalreciprocation in guides 14, and which is provided with a plunger 15suitably affixed thereto. Said plunger 15 is provided rearward of itsforward end with a transverse shoulder 16 of a height not exceeding thethickness ofa single collapsed casing or band.

The forward movement of the plunger 15 car- Y ries said shoulder 16 intoengagement with the rearward edge of the bottommost collapsed carton ofthe pile thereof contained in the magazine or stacker 12, so that asvthe plunger is moved forward said bottom casing or band is engaged andpushed outwardly from the magazine or stacker 12. The means forproducing a properly timed reciprocation of the ejecting plunger 15comprises a fulcrum member 17 secured upon the basel plate or bed 2 withwhich is pivotally connected a lever 18, the upper end of which isconnected' through a link 19 with the slide block 13. Actuated bythetransmission ,shaft 6 is an eccentric 20,-the connecting rod or arm 21of which is pivotally attached to the lever 18 intermediate its ends,all whereby, as the eccentric is rotated, a forward and back oscillationof the 'lever arm will be produced effective to in turn produce thedesired forward and back reciprocation of the slide block 13 andejecting plunger 15.

Disposed beneath the magazine or stacker 12 and, extendinglongitudinally forward therefrom in spaced relation above the deckplateor platform 4 are a plurality of radially spaced supporting bars 22lupon which the casings or bands are supported and over which they moveas they proceed through the prises a race cam 25 rotated by thetransmission shaft 10 and operative through a connecting rod 26 tooscillate a lever 27, the free end of which is connected by a link 28with the tail end 29 of said clamp blade. The operation of the race cam25 is such that a properly timed forward movement of the clamp blade 24is produced, whereby the same is caused to insert itself between thecollapsed walls and upon the bottom wall of the ejected casing or band,to thereby firmly and nonshiftably retain theilatter in its initialejected position subject to the action of squaring mechanism to bepresentl described. In order to prevent endwise isplacement of theejected casing or band while the clamp blade comprises a verticallyreciprocable squaring member 32 the lower end of which is slidably in aguide member 33. The upper end of said squaring member is formed toprovide upstanding forward fingers 34 and spaced rearwardly therefrom,for a distance corresponding to the width 'of the opened or squaredcasing or band, upstandin rearward fingers 35 provided with invaria lychamfered free ends 36. The .fingers 34are of slightly greater heightthan the fingers 35. Initially, as a casing or band is being ejectedfrom the magazine or stacker 12, the squar-v ing member 32 occupies alowered position intermediate its fully lowered and its fully raisedpositions, so that the free ends ofthe fingers 34 are projected slightlyabove the level of the supporting bars 22, while the free ends of thefingers 35 are below such level. In this position, as theejectedcollapsed casing or band is moved out of the magazine or stacker, theforward ed'ge of the same is stopped against the slightly upwardlyprojecting ends of the fingers 34, thus properly disposing the same forthe reception of thel clamp blade 24, After the clamp blade has beeninserted, the squaring member is caused to rise and as it rises thefingers 34 and 35 are carried above the supporting bars 22 with theeffect that the chamfered ends of the fingers engage an underlying sideWall of thet collapsed casing or band so as to turn the same upward,thus raising the sides and upper portions of the casing or band causingsuch parts'to turn about the score lines `intermediate the same, thusopening the cas-v 'ing into the squared or tubular form ready for thereception of the articles to be inserted therein, as will be understoodfrom an inspection of Figure 2 of the drawings.

The means for producing the properly timed vertical reciprocatorymotions of the squaring-member 32 comprises a race cam 45 actuated bythe transmission shaft 10 and in turn actuating a bell crank mechanism,the

' one arm 46 of which is pivoted to connecting rod 47 which is actuatedbythe race cam 45, and the other arm .48 of which cooperates with a stud49 extending from the lower end of the squaring member 32 wherebyoscillations of the bell crank means are converted into -properly timedvertical reciprocations of said against longitudinal displacement as theclamp blade is withdrawn therefrom after the squaring operation, a stopmeans is provided comprising a lever arm 37 pivotally supported byfulcrum blocks or cars 38 mounted on top of the guide block 23, so thatsaid lever arm extends toward the adjacent end of the Said lever arm isnormally which is backed by a stationary bracket or abutment 40connected with said guide block 23. In order to so dispose the lever arm3T Cil -as not to interfere with the squaring operation exercised uponthe casing or band, means are provided in the form of a cam 4l carriedonthe topc of the clamp blade 24 and cooperating with a nosing 42 on theunderside of the lever arm 37 whereby when the clamp blade is entered inthe casing or band said cam 41 is positioned to raise the lever arm 37against the compression of the spring 39. As the clamp blade isretracted, however, said cam portion 41 isremoved from engagement withthe nosing 4 2 and the. tension of the spring 39 depresses the lever arm37 to lower its free end whereby a transverse lip 42 'provided at. theupper outerend of said arm is caused to engage with and over themarginal end portions of the said arm registers against the adjacent endof the casing or band, thus firmly i holding the latter againstdisplacement by the reti-active movement of the clamp blade.

After the casing or band has been squared meansare provided to move thesame upon the supporting bars 22 to a position ready for the receptionof the articles to be inserted therein. The means for so moving thesquared casings or bands is arranged to effect step by step orintermittent movements whereby a stationary dwellof the same is providedfor at desired location, of sufficient duration to permit the insertionof articles therein.-

A conveyor or transfer mechanism suitable for mtermittently movino' thecasings or band comprlses a longitudinally reciprocable carrier block50, movable in suitable slideways :'31 fixed on the underside of theplatform 4. T he means for reciprocating said carrier block 50.comprises a race cam 52 from which extends a connecting rod 53, the freeend of which is pivotally connected with an oscillatable lever 54fulcrumed on a pivoting support 55 mounted on the base plate or bed 2.The said carrier block 50 is interconnected with the vfree end of saidlever 54 by means of a link 56,

whereby oscillations of said lever arm 54 will produce the desiredforward and backward reciprocatory movements of said carrier block 50.Connected with said carrier block 5() so as to `travel therewith, butbeing so arranged as toI be `capable of independent verticalreciprocation relative to said carrier block, are the body portions 57of a pair of laterallyspaced conveyor or transfer members 58 which areadapted to move in the spaces between certain of the supporting bars 22.Said conveyoror transfer members are provided with upstanding fingers 59so arjacent end of the casing or band, thus firmly ranged as to engageor embrace the squared 'cartons when said conveyor or transfer mem-`bers 58 are moved upwardly toward the latter. The platform 4 is alsoprovided with longitudinal openings 60 to permitl both the longitudinaland vertical reciprocations of said conveyor or transfer members.

The means for producing the vertical reeiprocations ofthe conveyor ortransfer members, 58, whereby the same are caused to move in an elevatedplane with their fingers 59 proj ecting above the supporting bars 22into propelling engagement with the casings or bands 1 to move thelatter forwardly, and `in a lowered plane with their fingers 59withdrawn beneath the casings or bands when the conveyor or transfermembers are retracted after a forwardly propelling stroke, comprises thefollowingmechanisms: Fulerumed upon parts 61, mounted on said base plateor bed 2, are bell-crank devices 62. Pivotally connected with thesubstantially horizontal members of said bell-crank devices, so as toextend longitudinally and horizontally therebetween, and so as to besupported thereby` is a vertically oscillatjable guide cradle 63 whichprovides a guideway 64.for a roller 64 journaled to extend between thelower extremities of the body portions 57 of said conveyor or transfermembers 59, to thereby support the latter and control the raised andlowered positions of the same as governed by .the timed rise and fall ofsaid guide cradle 63. The

properly timed rise and fall of said uide cradle 63 is produced by theoscillation o said bell-crank devices 62, which move harmoniously, sincethe substantially vertical members thereof are. connected together by alink 65. ,Timed oscillatory movements are imparted to said bell-crankdevices 62, through the operation of a race cam (36 which is fixed onsaid transmission shaft 6, and which actuates a connecting rod 67 thefree end of which is pivotally connected with a vertical mem'l` ber ofone of said bell-crank devices 62.

Extending from the magazine or stacker 12 parallel to and spaced abovethe supporting bars 22 for a distance equivalent to the height of a setup or squared casing or band 1 is a keeper bar 68, which is pivotallyconnected .at its rearward end with a supporting bracket 69 connectedwith said magazine or stacker 12, and which is supported to its outerend by a holding member 70, in such manner that the same may be raisedto give access to the underlying casings of bands if desired.

In the operation of the machine, after the squaring member 32 has risento square a casing or band which has been delivered from the magazineorstacker 12, the conveyor or transfer mechanism is timed to withdraw theconveyor or transfer` member 58 to its lower level of movement,whereupon the. same is retracted to bringl the rearmost set of embracingfingers 59 beneath the casing or band which has been squared by riseofthe squaring member 32, whereupon the conveyor or transfer member iscaused to rise so that said latter fingers will embrace the casing orcarton which has been set uplor squared and 'as this occurs thesquaring; member 32 is downwardly withdrawn to its full extent to freethe set up carton from the fingers 34 and 35 thereof. Upon withdrawal ofthe squaring. member 32 and its fingers 34 and 35, the conveyor ortransfer member 58 is timed, under the operation of its actuatingmechanism, to move forward, thus imparting to the set up and squaredcasing or band a forwardly propelling movement which carries. the samefrom the position A indicated in Figure2 to the position B indicated insaid Figure 2. A casing or band which has previously been set up orsquared and delivered to the station B is at the Sametime embraced bytheintermediate set of fingers 59 and is moved from said station B tostation C, which latter sta tion is aligned with the article aggregatingand inserting mechanism and which constitutes what may be termed thefilling station.

At the same time a casing or band which had .previously occupied thefilling station C is' engaged by the remaining finger 59 and is removedaway from said station, all of which will be readily understood from aninspection ofFigure 2 of the drawings.

In order to retain the casings or bands against lateral displacement,after the same are delivered to either the station B or C and when disenaged by the conveyor or transfer means, yiel able detent means areprovided in connection with one of said supportin bars 22 and with saidkeeper bar 68. vThe etent means connected with the supporting bar 22comprises a fiat spring 71 secured by one end in an anchoring means 72and having its opposite or free end slidably supported in a slide memberSaid anchoring means 72 and slidevmexnber 73 are affixed to theunderside of a supporting bar 22 so that said spring 71 extends beneathand parallel to said supporting bar 22. Secured to said spring adjacentto each station B and C is a transverse yoke devlice 74 provided at eachend thereof with upstanding detent fingers 75 disposed one on each sideof the supportingbar 22. f Said detent fingers 75 are rounded offl orchamfered at their rearward sidesand nor: mally engage the forward sidesof the casings or bands occupyin the said stations B and C.

above the keeper bar 68, a fiat spring f77 and adjacent to the rearwardfree end f said spring 77 is a stop means 78. Secured upon said slpringmember 77 adjacent to each station or C are transverse yoke members 79having at their ends depending detent fingers 80, the rearward sides ofwhich are beveled or chamfered as shown.l 'I hese detent fingers 80 areso disposed as to engage the rearward sides of casings or bands, whichhave been moved to the stations B and C. In operation, as the conveyoror transfer member 58 propels a set up or squared casing or band fromthe squaring station A to the intermediate station B and a casing orband from the station B to the filling station C, the

tions of the latter are`engaged' by the upwardly projected detentfingers 80. As the conveyor or transfermember moves a casing or bandfrom the respective stations B and C the detent fingers' 8O will bedepressed against the tension of the spring 71 so that. `i

the said casings or bands will ride `over said detent fingers 80. Itwill thus be obvious that the detent fingers 75 and the detent fingers80engaging opposite sides of thec'asings -or bands respectively atgtheupper and lower `portions of said sides will tend to hold theemptyjcasings or bands againstcollapse and intheir proper vset up orsquared condition ready for the reception of the articles to be insertedtherein, and yet the' detent means thus provlded will readily yield tothe' onward movement of the casings or-bands under the lmpulslon'of theconveyor ortransfer means.

T he article aggregating and inserting mechanism.

Arranged laterally adjacent to filling sta tion C is the means forassembling or aggregating articles'from bulk into a group of desirednumber, and then insert-ing the group thereof into a casing or band. Inthe ill'ustration of this invention diselosepd in the drawings, thearticles operated upon .are lead pencils, although it will be obviousthat any other specific kind of article of elongated or stick-like formmay be manipulated by the machine.

Fixed by their inner ends to the deck-plate or platform 4 are a pair ofspaced apart channeled guide bars 81 to extend transversely andoutwardly therefrom. Fixed by its inner end to said base plate or bed 2,to extend transversely and outwardly therefrom and beneath said guidebars, is a bracket plate 82. Interconnecting the outer end of said guidebars and bracket plate are nprights 83 to provide a rigid construction.Mounted in and between said guide bars 81 to reciprocate therein is aslide-block 84 upon which is fixed for movement therewith a plungerblock 85 constructed'to provide a primary plunger member 86, and formedat its forward end to provide a secondary plunger member 87 stepped'downin plane and extending forwardly from the operative end of said primaryplunger member 86. Formed by side plates 88 suitably supported byframe-pieces 89 to extend along the opposite sides of and above saidprimary plunger 86 is an assembling box 90 having end closing means 91at the portion thereof projecting above said primary plunger. Extendinglongitudinally through the interior of said assembling box 90 inlate-rally spaced apart relation receiving spaces within which thearticles, such as the pencils 93, may be disposed in vertical tiers.Preferably the upper face of said primary plunger member 86 islongitudinally grooved, so that the lower marginal portions -of saidpartitions 92 may be engaged therein. Connected with the sides of saidassembling box are angle plates 94, the upper lateral ext-gnsions 95 ofwhich project outwardly from opposite sides of and in the plane of theupper open side of said v assembling box, thereby forming a stationarysupport for the pencils disposed in bulk in a hopper 96 which is mountedabove said assembling box, and which is adapted to deliver the pencilsas needed into the latter. AIn order to agitate the pencils contained inthe hopper and to so roll or move the same laterally back and forthacross1 the mouth of said assembling box as to assure the filling of allthe'vertical receiving spaces provided by the partition .memberstheieof, said hopper is provided with a bot-tom opening anddownwardlysloping bottom Walls 97 extending from its ends to each side of saidbottom opening, and said hopper is mounted for lateral oscillation. Toarrange the hopper to permit of the desired lateral oscillation thereof,supporting arms 98 are pivotally' mounted on the deck-plate or platform-4 1n spaced apart parallel relation, and with their upper ends in turnpivotally connected with laterally spaced apart points on the under sideof the respective bottom walls 97 of saidhopper. The means for producingthe oscillation of said hopper comprises a yoke arm 99 extendingdownwardly from the fulerum point of one of said support-ing arms movedback and forth over the stationary supports 95, I provide upon thelatter a plurality of inclined ribs 103 descending toward the sides ofthe assembling box, so that the pencils will easily roll from one sideor the other over the mouth of said assembling box. The hopper bottomwalls 97 bordering the supports 95 are notched out to conform. to theribs 103, as is shown in' Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The plunger block 85, during the operation of the machine, isreciprocated longitudinally beneath said assebling box in which thepencils 93 disposed in a predetermined number of tiers; in the instantcase there are four tiers of pencils, and the primary -plunger member isdesigned to discharge from the assembling box, at each operation, threelayers or groups of three pencils from each tier thus assembling oneldozen pencils to make upveach ultimate bundle thereof produced by themachine operations. The means for producing the timed reciprocations ofthe plunger block 85 comprises a race cam 104 mounted on and rotated bysaid transmission shaft 10. Pivoted in bearings 105 fixed on the outerend portion of said bracket plate 82 is the fulcrmn spindle 100 of anoscillatable lever 107, the upper free end of which is operativelyinterconnected by link 108 with said slide block 84, and said lever 107is oscillated by means of a. crank-arm 109'with/which is connected thefree end of a connecting rod 110 adapted to be actuated by said racc cam104, all of which will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 4 of thedrawings more particularly.

sembled pencils w-illdrop down throu h the bottom of th'e box upontheupper sur ace of the secondary plunger member 87 and in front ofthe'primary plunger end 86 of said plunger block. v The height oftheprimary plunger end 86 is predetermined inthe 1nstant case to equal theheight of three layers of pencils, and consequently as the plunger blockmoves forward threehorizontal layers of pencils, each layer comprisingfour pen-f;

cils, will be impelled end wise` awayfrom the assembling box by theforward thrust of' the primary plunger end 86, the lthus seggregated andassembled group of one ldozen pencils being supported during such1n1t1al movement upon the upper surface of said seeondary plunger member87. The group of eneils thus discharged from the assembling ox,arecarried by the forward thrust of the plunger mechanism outwardlybetween a pan' df retaining side walls 111 which bound a passageway 112.in andthrough which the sec ondary plunger member 8-7 may be moved, andwhich serves to retain the pencils in the desired groupedrelation.Arranged at thel .rearward end of said passageway 112 is a verticallydisposed frame 113 in which is mounted for vertical reciprocation avmovable gate member 114. This gate member 114 is actuated, in properlytimed relation to the reciprocatory movements of said secondary plungermember 87, by a pivoted' rock-lever 115,one end of which is pivotally vconnected with the gate member 114, and

the other end of which is connected by a link 116 to a pivoted actuatinglever 117, the outer end of which coaets with a peripheral cam 117',connected with the circumference of I the race cam 45 (see Figs. 1, 3and 4). The

operationof the gate-member 114 is so timed that, when the plungermember 86 and secondaryplunger member 87 moveforward, with the group ofpencils impelled by the former while carried on the latter, thegatemember 114 is held in raised position so that thevgroup of pencilsmay pass with the plunger membei` 8 beneath the same and into thepassageway n112. A transverse stop means 118 positioned adjacent to theouter limit of 'the stroke of said plunger member 87 and at the outerend ofthe passageway 112, and above the'level of the top surface of saidplunger member 87 serves to retain the group of pencilsf'from forwardlongitudinal displacement while supported by said plunger l member 87.Prior to the retraction of the plunger member 87, the gate member 114 is`lnember 87 is retr. te vwill drop down to he lower level of thepaslhind the group of pencils'entered in the passageway 112, sothat asthe said plunger member 87 is retracted the pencils will be retainedWithin-said passageway When the plunger the group .of pencils sageway112, and-upon a floor-plate 119 situated inI the plane of the supportingbars 22. In order to retain the group of pencils against verticaldisplacement 'or disturbanceseof their desired grouped relation, thereis provided a keeper-plate 120, adapted to move downward with thepencils when, upon withdrawal of the plunger member 8.7, the same yarelowered to and upon the floor-plate 119. To provide for properly timedactuation of said keeperplate 120, to raise the same prior to entrancepassageway 112 and to lower the same upon withdrawal of said plungermember 87,-al

.of the pencils within the upper level of saidpost 122, with its outerend provided with a roller or stud 123 engaged in the race groove of arace cam124 rotated by the shaft 10 to produce properly timedoscillations of said beam 1,25 is coupled at one end by aninterconnecting link- 126 with the free end of the actuating-beam 121,and has its opposite end pivotally connected with the keeper-plate (seeFigs. 1, 3 land 4).

While the group of pencils rests on the floor-plate 119 and before theyare finally propelled outwardly from the passageway 112 and into theawaiting easing or band 1, means are provided for inserting between thehorizontal' layers of pencils forl making up the group thereofseparating partition devices 127, usually comprising reet-angular piecesof cardboard or other suitable ma terial, said means comprising thefollowing v or platform 4, at the respective sides of the passagewa 112are shelf members 128 and 129, one o the same, as 128, having its topsurface aligned with a plane intermediate the top and middle layers ofthe group of pencils, and the other,'as 129, having its top surface-aligned with a plane intermediate the middle and bottom layers of thegroup of pencils, when said pencils rest upon the floor-plate 119 andwithin the passageway 112. Respectively supported upon said shelfmembers 128and 129 are npst-anding magazines or staekers 130 to containsupplies separating partition devices 127. Extending between eachmagazine or stacker 130 and the passageway 112 and respectively spacedabove and parallel to the shelf members 128 cess to the group of pencilswithin thewlatter. 130

Slidably reciprocable on each shelf-member 128 and 129 and beneath eachmagazlne or stacker 13() are push-plates 133, each of ing timedreciprocation of said push plates 133 toward and away from thepassageway 112 and the group of pencils therein, vert-ically spacedapart and opposed racks 135 slidably supported in correspondingslideways 136. Arotatable pinion 137 is mounted in fixed location Ytointermesh at opposite sides thereof with said racks 135. One pushk plateis connected by a coupling block 13S witlrt-he rear end of one rack, andthe other push-plate is connected by a coupling block 139 with the rearend of the other rack, all

1n such manner that reciprocatory movement of one rack to actuate onepush-plate toward and away" from one side of the passageway 112 will,through the rotation imparted to the pinion 137 produce a reciprocatorymovement of the othervrack to simultaneously actuate the otherpush-plate toward and away from the opposite side of the passageway 112,`the respective shelfmember 128 and 129 having openings or ways 128 and129 to accommodate the movements of said coupling blocks 138 and 13S)respectively, all as will be obvious from an inspection of Fig. 5 of thedrawings. The means for producing properly timed reciprocations of theracks and the push-plates actuated thereby, consists in an eccentric 140mounted on and actuated by the transverse shaft 100,"the connecting-rod141 of which is pivotally attached to a coupling lug 142 connected withthe lowermost rack, which lug extends through and rides in an opening143 provided, 'in the deck-plate or platform 4.

ldeposited in the passageway 112, the forward movement of eachpush-plate engages by means of the shoulders 134 the bottom partitiondevice of each stack thereof and carries the same-fin supported relationon the push-plates seats out of the respective magazines or staekers.Pivotlally mounted gravity actuated check-pawls 144 having chamfereddownwardly directed fingers 145 ride on the surface of veach push-plate.These check-,pawls lat-t yield to the outward movement of the partitiondevices carried outwardly in the. seats of the push-plates, so as toride ove the same in such man-ner as to fall or drop behind the rearedges thereof when the push-plates reach the outer limits of theirforward strokes, and cons uently, when said push-plates areretractcdmtlhe partition devices are prevented from traveling backtherewith, being held by the checkpawls while the push-plates arewithdrawn and being thus deposited on the shelf member in front of thefree extremities' of pushplates ready to be propelled forward by thelatter and inserted between-the layers of a group of pencilssubsequently deposited in the passageway 112. These operations will befully understood froml an inspection of- Fig. 5 of the drawings moreparticularly.

After the partition devices 127 have been inserted between the layers ofpencils making up a groupthereof deposited in the passageway 112, saidgroup 'is ready to be finally ejected from the passageway 112 andinserted in the waiting casing or band 1. The final insertion of thepencils into the casing or band is effected as follows. The primaryplunger 86 and secondary plunger 87 having been retracted to pick upfrom the delivery and segregating means a following group of pencils tobe carried int-o the passageway 112 upon the top of the secondaryplunger 87 and under t-he thrust of the primary plunger' 8G, the freeend of said secondary plunger 87 will on the next forward movementthereof engage the groupof pencils previously deposited in thepassageway 112 and on the platform 119 and will thrust the sameoutwardly and into the awaiting casing or band 1 which is supported inalignment with the plunger at the station C in the manner clearly to beunderstood, thus completing the bundling operation. The casing or band 1at the station C 'is retained against longitudinal displacement underthe thrust of the pencils by means of -a stationary stop post 146 (seeFig. 1).

After each group of pencils is bundled and encased in the casing orband. the same is removed from the station C b v the push fingers ,59 ofthe conveyor or transfer members 58, and at the same, time a succeedingempty casing or band is deposited :1t-station C. The completed bundlesof pencils are successively pushed along in a train on the supportingbars 22 as they leave the filling station C, from whence they may beremoved from the machine ready for boxing, packing or other handling..

I Fromgthe above description of the construction, arrangementandpperation of the vari-f V- ous mechanisms making up the bundlingmachine of this invention, the functioning of the machine as-a whole`will be clearly underv stoodwithout necessity forfurtherorecapitulation except to say that the operations are carried outin a continuous manner, the vari# ous mechanisms being synchronized forproper correlation as will be clearly evident.

It will be obvious that many changes may be made in the variousarrangements and combinations of the several cooperatin mechanisms, aswell as in the details of t e construction of the same, withoutdeparting from mechanisms and parts thereof as shown in the accompanyingdrawings, and such description and showing are to be taken asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim 1. A machine for bundling stick-like articles, comprising ahopper to contain a bulk of said articles, an assembling box beneath andfed by said hopper having means to aggregate articles to form bundleswith the articles disposed in symmetrical layers, means to oscillatesaid hopper over said assembling box to cause said articles to pass fromthe former into the latter,ymeans to seggregate and initially advancebundles from said assembling box, means to supply tubular Acasings openfor the reception of said advanced bundles and into axial alignmenttherewith, and means to finally thrust said advanced bundles endwise andinto said casings.

2. A machine for bundling stick-like articles, comprising a hopper tocontain a bulk of said articles, van assembling box beneath and fed bysaid hopper having means to aggregate articles to form bundles with thearticles disposed in symmetrical layers, means to oscillate said hopperover said assembling box to cause said articles to pass from the formerinto the latter, means to seggregate and initially advance Abundles fromsaid assembling box, means to supply collapsed casings, means to opensaid casings int-o tubular form, means to present said casings endwiseto said advanced bundles, and means to finally thrust lsaid advancedbundles endwise into said casmcs.

l. A machine for bundling stick-like articles, comprising means toassemble from bulk predetermined numbers of articles into bundles, meansto supply tubular casings oqpen for the reception of saidbundles and inendwise alignment therewith, means to insert said bundles endwise intosaid casings, and

means-to supply and directly insert separating members between layers ofarticles forming said 4bundles latter' into said casmgs. p

4. A machine for bundlingstick-like articles, comprising a hopper to'contain a bulk of said articles, an assembling box beneath and fed bysaid hopper having means to aggregate articles to form bundles thereofwithmeans cooperating' prior to insertion v/of the comprising a hop-perto contain a bulk the articles disposed in symmetrical layers,

means to oscillate sai'd hopper over said assembling box to cause saidarticles to pass from the former intothe' latter, means to seggregateand initially advance bundles from said assembling box, means to supplycollapsed casings, means to open said casings into tubular form, meansto present said casings in. axial alignment with advanced bundles forthe reception thereof, means to transfer said advanced bundles therefromand endwise into said casings, and means to directly insert separatorelements laterally between the layers of articles of each bundle priorto transfer thereof into a casing.

6. A machine for bundling stick-like artic cles, comprising means tosupply collapsed casings, means to open said casings into tubular form,guideway means for said opened casings, means to progressively moveopened casings crosswise through said guideway, yieldable meansconnected with said guideway to engage the sides of and thus retain saidcasings in open condition prior to filling of the same, means laterallyoff-set relative to said guideways to assemble from bulk predeterminednumbers of articles into bundles, and means to insert said bundlesendwise into said open casings while the lat-ter are supported in saidguideway.

7. A machine for bundling stick-like articles, comprising means tosupply collapsed casings, means to open said casings into tubular form,guideway means for said opened casings, means to progressively moveopened casings crosswise through said guideway, yieldable meansconnected with said guideway to engage the sides of and thus retain saidcasings in open condition prior to filling of the same, a hopper tocontain a bulk of articles, means fed by said hopper and'laterallyoit-set relative to said guideways to aggregate articles to form bundlesthereof, and means to insert said bundles into said open casings whilethe latter are supported in said` mittently and progressively move theopen guideway.

8. A machine for bundling stick-like articles, comprising means tosupply collapsed casings, means to open said casings-into tubular form,guideway means for said opened casings, means to progressively moveopened casings crosswise through said guideway, yieldable meansconnected with said guideway to engage the sides of and thus retain saidcasings in open condition prior to filling of the same, a hopper tocontain a bulk. of said articles, an assembling box beneath and fed bysaid hopper having means to aggregate articles to form bundles with thearticles disposed in symmetrical layers, and means cooperating with saidassembling box to transfer said bundles therefrom and endwise into saidopen casings While the latter are in said guideway.

9. A. machine for bundling stick-like articles, comprising means tosupply collapsed casings, means to open said casings into tubular form,guideway means for said opened casings, said casings being disposedtransversely of said guideway to move sidewise therein, means toprogressively move opened casings through said guideway, yieldable meansconnected with said guideway to engage the sides of and thus retain saidcasings in open condition prior to filling of the same, a-hopper tocontain a bulk of said articles, an assembling box beneath and fed bysaid hopper having means to aggregate articles to form bundles with thearticles disposed in symmetrical layers, said hopper and asse1nbling boxbeing laterally oliset relative to said guideway, a reciprocable plungermeans cooperating with said assen'ibling box to transfer bundlestherefrom and to insert said bundles endwise into said casings while thelatter are retained in open position in said gui'deway.

10. In a machine for bundling stick-like articles, a support-ing meansin horizontal plane, means to supply collapsed tubular casino's at oneend of said su ortinO` means means to open said casings, means to interlmittently and progressively move the open casings successively over saidsupporting means, a keeper bar spaced above and parallel to saidsupporting means, spring-pressed fingers connected with both saidsupporting means and said keeper-bar to engage ldiagonally oppositecorners of said open casings to i retain the same against collapse Whileat rest,

means to assemble from bulk predetermined numbers of articles intobundles, and means aligned with a point of rest of said casings adaptedto transfer said bundles from said assembling means and into thecasings.

11. In a machine for bundling stick-like articles, a, supporting meansin horizontal plane, means to supply collapsed tubular casings at oneend of sald supporting means, means to open said casmgs, meansto'intercasings successively over said supporting means, a keeper barspaced above and parallel to said supporting means, springpressedfingers connected with both said supporting means and said keeper-bar toengage diagonally opposite corners of said open casings to retain thesame against collapse while at rest, a hopper to contain a bulk of saidarticles, an assembling box beneath and fed by said hopper having meansto aggregate articles to form bundles in which .the articles aredisposed in symmetrical layers, and a reciprocable plunger meanscooperating with sald assem ling box and aligned with a point of rest ofsaid casings operative to insert bundles into said casings.

12. Afmachine as defined in claim 9, including means to directly insertseparator elements laterally between the layers of articles in eachbundle thereof prior to insertion of said bundles into said casings.

13. A machine as defined in claim 11, including means to directlyvinsert separator elements laterally between the layers of ar.- ticlesin each bundle thereof. prior to insertion of said bundles into saidcasings.

14. In a machine of the kind described, an assembling box partitionedlengthwise and open top and bottom, said assembling box heilig adaptedto dispose articles in symmetrical layers one above the other, a hopperto contain a bulk of articles, said hopper having inclined bottomportions converging on a bottoni opening beneath which said assemblingbox is'disposed, means to oscillate said hopper to cause articles topass therefrom into the partitioned interior of said assembling box, aplunger means stepped to provide a primary plunger adapted to eject apredetermined number of articles from said assembling box to formbundles each comprising a plurality of layers and a secondary plungerextending forwardly therefrom, said plunger means being disposed toreciprocate beneathl the open bottom of said assembling box, a platformbeneath said plunger means, means to provide a passageway above saidplatform and aligned with said plunger means, and into which formedbundles are transferred by said primary plunger, and means tosuccessively position open casings in alignment with said passageway toreceive bundles of articles ejected from the latter by said secondaryplunger.

15. In a machine of the kind described, an assembling boxpartitioned'lengthwise and open top and bottom, said assembling boxbeing adapted to dispose articles in symmetrical layers one above theother, a hopper to contain a bulk of articles, said hopper havinginclined bottom portions converging on a botplatform beneath saidplunger means, means to provide a passageway above said platform andaligned with said plunger means and into which formed bundles aretransferred by said primary plunger, means timed in relation to thereciprocation of said plunger means to retain bundles in said passagewaywhile said plunger means is retracted, and means to successivelyposition open casings in alignment with said passageway to receivebundles ofarticles ejected from the latter by said secondary plunger.

16. In a machine of the kind described, an assembling box partitionedlengthwise and open top and bottom, said assembling box being adapted todispose articles in symmetrical layers one above the other, a hopper tocontain a bulk of articles, said hopper having inclined bottom portionsconverging on a bottom opening beneath which said assembling box isdisposed, meansto oscillate said hopper to cause articles to passthere--V frominto the partitioned interior of said assembling box, aplunger means stepped to provide a primary plunger adapted to eject apredetermined number of articles from said assembling box to formbundles each comprising a plurality of layers and a secondary plungerextending forwardly therefrom, said plunger means being disposedv toreciprocate beneath the open bottom of said assembling box, a platformbeneath said plunger means, means to provide a.- passageway above saidplatform and aligned with said plunger means and into which formedbundles are transferred by said primary plunger, means timed in relationto the reciprocation of said plunger means to retain bundles lin saidpassageway while said plunger means is retracted, means to supply andinsert separator elements between the layers of articles while thebundles thereof are at rest in said passageway, and means tosuccessively position open casings in alignment with said passageway toreceive bundles of articles ejected from the latter by said secondaryplunger.

17. A machine of the kind `described and as defined in claim 16, inwhich the means to supply and insert separator elements between thelayers of articles forming each bundle thereofcomprises, means toprovide transverse ways respectively communicating with the sides ofsaid passageway, plungers to reciprocate in said ways, and magazinesabove' said plungers to supply said separator elements thereto.

In testimony, that we claim the invention set forth above we havehereunto set our hands this 29th day of October, 1927.

HARRY LQ EVANS. GEORGE I. HoHL.

